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March 12, 2008

This Chick is Easy

Materials needed: Less than half an ounce of suitably colored wool roving, orange felt ( I only had rayon felt on hand) size 6/0 glass beads for the eyes. Small amount of liquid soap.

Equipment needed: Needle, thread, strong, sharp scissors which can snip all the way to the end of the points, warm water and a bowl in which to hold it.

Tale a piece of the wool and roll it into an egg shape. Dip this into the warm water into which you have added a squirt of liquid soap. After it is wet, take some more wool and wrap it around loosely, almost like making a ball of yarn.

Dip this into the water again so it is wet, but not dripping. Toss this little ball from hand to hand for a minute or two in order to start the felting process. This is the trickiest part of the project. If you rub it or handle it too vigorously your shape will turn into a felted brain with ripples and convolutions. The aimhere is to have a smooth oval shape. After you fell a felted "skin" has formed, you can handle the shape more, rolling it between your palms. After a little bit, you can start to roll the shape in order to form a neck. The shape should start to get smaller and harder. You will end up with a chick shape after just a few minutes. Take it to a sink and rinse out the soap by running hot and cold water alternately. You will feel the wool get firmer as you do this. Squeeze out the water and roll and form the shape back into the chick shape.

From the orange felt, cut a diamond-shaped beak and a triangle with a notch in it for the feet. Insert a threaded needle in the back if the neck and bring the point out where you want to attach the beak. Give the thread a gentle tug to make the knot disappear. It only takes one stitch to sew on the beak. Run the needle back to where it entered. Now insert the needle and have it come out where you want the feet to be sewn on. That takes only five or so stitches. Knot the thread and cut it. Thread the needle with black thread and sew on the beads for the eyes. Create a little tension so the beads sink into the felt.

Now for the wings. Don't call PETA! Figure out where you want the wings. Take your scissors and snip to create the chick's wings. You're done!

Comments

I am sooo excited, thanks for posting this tutorial. I have been reading lots about "felted" crafts, but was to afraid to invest alot of time and energy into something I am not familiar with! I can totally do this!